A process meets no end. I feel like throughout the INTD 288 course this is an idea that has been contested, stressed, exemplified, and challenged repeatedly. If there is anything I have taken away from this course, it would be the importance and significance of processes. Process is interdisciplinary in that it can be found in almost any subject as well as applied in almost any field. In class, we applied process in many different disciplines including art, philosophy, literature, and mathematics. In each discipline we were able to both analyze and debate the ways in which process applied in Steve Prince’s work. Steve Prince himself often stressed the importance of process when creating his works. He once said, “It is not so much about what is being made— it’s about the process. It’s the community working together.” But what constitutes a process? Process, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary is a “continuous action, operation, or series of changes taking place in a definite manner”. The reason I chose this definition above others is because it says nothing about the end of a process. Many believe that a process leads to an endpoint, but as we discussed in a class with David Levy, this doesn’t always hold true. Almost anything one does involves a process, and the process of getting to a point, literally or figuratively is almost always more significant then actually getting there. Continue reading “Final Reflection: A P.R.O.C.E.S.S”
This is NOT the End
Hi! I am back again with another blog post! I’ll admit, I have been putting off writing my last few posts but it was only for the sole reason that I was out of ideas on what I could write about. I usually pick the topics I wish to explore in my posts beforehand and then at some point actually write said posts. The problem? I ran out of topics. But naturally, all writers block comes to an end. And now I have come to explain to you why this is not the end. Or at least not for me. As I have begun to write my final reflection about the INTD 288 course two things have come to my attention. One is that I really loved taking this class even though I usually felt more confused than anything. Two, I realized how this class introduced me to so many topics that I wish to explore more in the future. My second realization I feel is more important because as a student in the INTD 288 course, I am always pushed to dig deeper to find more knowledge and understanding of any given topic. Continue reading “This is NOT the End”
Kitchen Talks: The Steve Prince Way
Recently, and by recently I mean three weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to hear Steve Prince himself give a lecture in Doty Tower Room. On my way to the lecture, I tried to think about what I would learn and how I could apply it to what I already know about Steve Prince and his works. By the time I finished hearing the lecture, I felt that Steve Prince both met and exceeded my expectations. I think it was because what I learned in that lecture was not only in connection to Steve Prince’s works but it also helped me to form connections in my own life which is what I will explain in this blog post. Continue reading “Kitchen Talks: The Steve Prince Way”
Dance, Dance, Dance
I am a dancer. Kind of. I mean I dance in my free time, and when nobody is watching. But, up until recently I wouldn’t have described myself as a dancer. I probably would have winced if I was called one and tried to deflect. But that slowly began to change recently. It all started with a class with Professor Mark Broomfield. We were told to wear comfortable clothes for the class, so I was already on edge on what the class would entail. When I first entered the classroom, I was a bit annoyed at the prospect of having to dance in public and the fact that I was not sure what type of dance we’d be doing only made me more concerned. By the time we finished the class however I felt comfortable in my own space and in my own movements and I felt like I had a lot to consider about myself. Continue reading “Dance, Dance, Dance”
This is Not A Post
When Joe Cope came to our class to discuss the relationship between text, images, and power I was reminded of an image by Belgian artist Rene Magritte. This painting, titled “Treachery of Images” (see below) depicts the image of a pipe. Underneath the pipe French words are written and these words translate to, “This is not a pipe.” When I first learned about this painting, I didn’t think much of it. After all, art to me was always interpretational. No one can truly see an artist’s vision for their piece and as such viewers are often pushed to formulate their own analyses. In the case of this painting, viewers would have to decide whether to believe or understand what they are seeing or what they are reading. After going through Joe Cope’s lesson, I was able to make a little more sense of this dilemma as well as exemplify what we learned about in that class. Continue reading “This is Not A Post”
Sarah’s Take on An Open Discussion
Recently in class I was given the opportunity to participate in open discussion with my classmates. As usual, I found it so interesting to be able to bounce ideas off my peers, hearing their insight as well as their perspective on the topics that we learn about, both inside and outside of the class setting. One of the discussions we had I found particularly interesting, because it touched upon so many subjects. I was especially astounded as the fact that we started and ended the conversation in two completely different subjects, but these subjects were related in terms of the flow of conversation. I am going to share the main points of this discussion below, sharing my insight as well as my new findings and hopefully as you read you’ll gain a thing or two from the conversation. Continue reading “Sarah’s Take on An Open Discussion”
Process in an Art Exhibit
Recently, as a part of the Art of Steve Prince course, our class was given the opportunity to visit the Lederer Art Gallery on campus. While we were there, gallery director Cynthia Hawkins gave us a behind the scenes look at what it takes to run the art gallery. She discussed with us the different aspects of her job, such as planning exhibits, bringing in outside collections of artworks, as well as how she stores art pieces that are given to the Lederer permanently. This discussion was one that stood out to me, in part because it reminded me of all the work that I do in maintaining and curating the Kinetic Gallery. The Kinetic Gallery is a student-run art gallery on campus that falls under the Geneseo Campus Activities Board. As the Art and Exhibits Coordinator, I have the job of planning and executing all of the exhibits and art programs for the Kinetic for the academic year. As such, it was no wonder that Dr. Hawkins presentation was of interest to me. Continue reading “Process in an Art Exhibit”
Poverty as a Crime?
About two weeks ago Joe Cope came to class and discussed with us the the relationship between text and imagery. I found this class period to be really informative in terms of how text can support images in terms of description and illustration, but what really stood out to me was the topic behind the images that Cope had selected. Cope had chosen images that portrayed injustices through insensitive and narrow-minded narratives. Specifically, Cope explained how in the time period displayed in the 17th century pamphlets he selected, it was a common thing for people to be arrested and put in jail if they were unable to prove that they own property or had a working job. Continue reading “Poverty as a Crime?”
A Matter of Perspective
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden”. ~The Secret Garden
Seeing is believing. That’s what we have been taught our entire lives; that our eyes are the one thing that is able to distinguish fact from fiction. But, what we are never told is that everyone sees differently. This goes beyond the literal sense, although it does provide the best explanation. Picture where you are now. Literally. Whether you are standing up, sitting down, or on the line at Starbucks, focus on your location and what YOU see. Now, imagine someone wants to stand in your exact spot, to see exactly what you see. Impossible isn’t it? It is physically impossible for two people to stand on the exact same spot at the exact same time, and even if the person was able to stand in your position after the fact, that person would still see different things, notice different aspects of the same surroundings. Their perspective would inevitably be different.
Gaining Knowledge from Lack of Knowledge: A Goal
I am used to always knowing what is going to happen. Kind of. I know what I what to happen and I work hard to make it happen. Both in life and in school. In my classes I usually have an idea of what I want to learn, how I can apply what I learn in my future career. Ever since I started taking INTD 288, that hasn’t been the case. The last few weeks of the course have been inspiring as well as challenging. But, what struck me the most was the fact that unlike some of my major classes, I am not sure what to expect. And still am not sure what to expect. I think this is a good thing though, because it pushes me to look outside of the box, using unconventional ideas to understand what I am learning. There is never such thing as a wrong answer, just different ways of looking at the same thing, and that is something that I have learned so far in my first few weeks in this course. Hearing how different people from different backgrounds view something as simple as a line is eye opening because you are able to see beyond your own understanding of it. You find yourself nodding along because you could suddenly understand why someone would think being on a line makes more grammatical sense than being in one (I agree to disagree). But anyways, that is my goal for this course. I want to be able to find comfort in the idea of not knowing anything and everything, and hopefully this lack of knowledge will teach me some new things.
~ Sarah-Anne